--- product_id: 6162294 title: "Essential ActionScript 3.0: ActionScript 3.0 Programming Fundamentals" price: "€ 61.43" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.it/products/6162294-essential-actionscript-3-0-actionscript-3-0-programming-fundamentals store_origin: IT region: Italy --- # Essential ActionScript 3.0: ActionScript 3.0 Programming Fundamentals **Price:** € 61.43 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Essential ActionScript 3.0: ActionScript 3.0 Programming Fundamentals - **How much does it cost?** € 61.43 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.it](https://www.desertcart.it/products/6162294-essential-actionscript-3-0-actionscript-3-0-programming-fundamentals) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description ActionScript 3.0 is a huge upgrade to Flash's programming language. The enhancements to ActionScript's performance, feature set, ease of use, cleanliness, and sophistication are considerable. Essential ActionScript 3.0 focuses on the core language and object-oriented programming, along with the Flash Player API. Essential ActionScript has become the #1 resource for the Flash and ActionScript development community, and the reason is the author, Colin Moock. Many people even refer to it simply as "The Colin Moock book." And for good reason: No one is better at turning ActionScript inside out, learning its nuances and capabilities, and then explaining everything in such an accessible way. Colin Moock is not just a talented programmer and technologist; he's also a gifted teacher. Essential ActionScript 3.0 is a radically overhauled update to Essential ActionScript 2.0 . True to its roots, the book once again focuses on the core language and object-oriented programming, but also adds a deep look at the centerpiece of Flash Player's new API: display programming. Enjoy hundreds of brand new pages covering exciting new language features, such as the DOM-based event architecture, E4X, and namespaces--all brimming with real-world sample code. The ActionScript 3.0 revolution is here, and Essential ActionScript 3.0 's steady hand is waiting to guide you through it. Adobe Developer Library is a co-publishing partnership between O'Reilly Media and Adobe Systems, Inc. and is designed to produce the number one information resources for developers who use Adobe technologies. Created in 2006, the Adobe Developer Library is the official source for comprehensive learning solutions to help developers create expressive and interactive web applications that can reach virtually anyone on any platform. With top-notch books and innovative online resources covering the latest in rich Internet application development, the Adobe Developer Library offers expert training and in-depth resources, straight from the source. Review: Flash Developers: You Will Be Ready to Start Using AS3 After Reading This. - I remember reading the documentation for Flash MX back around 2003-2004. It had this big section about object-oriented programming and why it's so great. The idea of reusing snippets of code by arranging them as modular classes was easy to understand and get on board with, but it never stuck with me when it came time to build an app. That was partly because I had just barely gotten into scripting at that point, but it was also because you can't truly explain the practical benefits of of OOP in just a few pages. This book makes OOP tangible. It is a long book, and it goes into exhaustive detail. When you finish reading the first half of it, you will have seen numerous examples of OOP in action, and you will have practical knowledge of when OOP can work for you and how to go about implementing it in basic ways. When I started reading the book, I had never bothered arranging my code into classes. After I read it, I couldn't wait to jump onto my computer and start building a few classes for future use. Each chapter started off kind of scary as I delved into new, unfamiliar subject matter, but by the end of each chapter I felt like a bulb had lit up inside my head and I was beginning to realize I had powers as a programmer that I never knew I possessed. It also shed a lot of light on terminology that I had heard thrown around before but that I never understood the significance of. I'll admit -- reading a couple hundred pages about programming can be a chore. I took lots of naps along the way. But when I started this book I was just a guy who could write scripts, and when I finished I was on my way to learning some serious programming. You might wonder why the book is called "Essential Actionscript 3.0" if it is all about OOP. Well, in many ways the two topics are one and the same. I believe most potential readers are like myself. We have a background in Flash and maybe even Actionscript, but we are not full-time programmers by trade. In order to make the transition from Actionscript 2 to Actionscript 3, the main thing we have to learn is Object Oriented Programming. AS3 embraces OOP concepts much more closely than AS2, and if you start to understand OOP, you start to understand why AS changed the way it did in moving from version 2 to version 3. Even those who think that AS3 code looks unnecessarily cumbersome at first glance might come around and realize that its long-term benefits outweigh the cost of the learning curve once you start building truly object-oriented apps that run super fast. People with a background in computer science might get a little less out of the book, as you should already be familiar with OOP. You could still learn a lot about what AS3 supports in comparison to other OOP languages, but the majority of that can be gleaned from any documentation of ECMA guidelines, as Adobe is adhering as closely as they can to those guidelines. There is a lot of documentation out there about AS3's built-in classes, and Adobe maintains a pretty excellent language resource on its website. But again, for people who are Flash developers first, and programmers second, this book is an excellent way to go from AS2 to AS3. And if you find yourself drawn to AS3 programming and want to learn even more, check out "ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns" by the same publisher. That book will take you from knowing how to build OOP apps in AS3 to structuring your applications in ways that professional programmers have considered standard for several decades. Review: In Depth ActionScript Resource - After having been tasked with developing object-oriented Flash applications at work, I started off by reading some of the more introductory books on Flash hoping to gain some insight into how ActionScript can be used. The introductory books gave me a basic comfort level with the Flash IDE and how it is used to create multi-media content. I soon found it wasn't enough though. After having trouble with ActionScript development in several areas, I wanted to find books that could help me take my skills to the next level. Thanks to the recommendation of a co-worker, I purchased this book. I am so thankful I did. This book is one of the best books on ActionScript programming. I would also consider it one of the best books on programming that I have seen in my 20+ year career. One thing I want to make clear - it is not for beginners. It is designed for programmers wishing to learn more about the ActionScript language. The rate at which you will learn will be determined by your areas of interest and your past experience. If you are just starting out in Flash, I would recommend a book like "Flash CS5 The Missing Manual". You'll get a good foundation in many of the core areas of Flash by reading it. It covers things in much more depth than some of the introductory books. When you understand the concepts it presents, you'll be more than ready for this book. Essential ActionScript 3.0 covers all of the topics it discusses in great detail. When looking for an answer, it may or may not be a quick read but the concept will be explained in detail. Some concepts require more time and effort to learn and the author does not try to cut corners as such. Learning ActionScript is in many ways like learning a new language. If you come from the .NET world like I did, a new way of thinking about programming is required (event based programming in conjunction with visual elements over time). This book has helped me to make the transition. Overall - if you are an experienced programmer looking to do object-oriented development in ActionScript 3.0, this is the reference you will want to have by your side. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #5,745,244 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #76 in Flash Web Design #704 in Object-Oriented Software Design #1,665 in Object-Oriented Design | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 128 Reviews | ## Images ![Essential ActionScript 3.0: ActionScript 3.0 Programming Fundamentals - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61kT0itaE0L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Flash Developers: You Will Be Ready to Start Using AS3 After Reading This. *by C***O on January 7, 2009* I remember reading the documentation for Flash MX back around 2003-2004. It had this big section about object-oriented programming and why it's so great. The idea of reusing snippets of code by arranging them as modular classes was easy to understand and get on board with, but it never stuck with me when it came time to build an app. That was partly because I had just barely gotten into scripting at that point, but it was also because you can't truly explain the practical benefits of of OOP in just a few pages. This book makes OOP tangible. It is a long book, and it goes into exhaustive detail. When you finish reading the first half of it, you will have seen numerous examples of OOP in action, and you will have practical knowledge of when OOP can work for you and how to go about implementing it in basic ways. When I started reading the book, I had never bothered arranging my code into classes. After I read it, I couldn't wait to jump onto my computer and start building a few classes for future use. Each chapter started off kind of scary as I delved into new, unfamiliar subject matter, but by the end of each chapter I felt like a bulb had lit up inside my head and I was beginning to realize I had powers as a programmer that I never knew I possessed. It also shed a lot of light on terminology that I had heard thrown around before but that I never understood the significance of. I'll admit -- reading a couple hundred pages about programming can be a chore. I took lots of naps along the way. But when I started this book I was just a guy who could write scripts, and when I finished I was on my way to learning some serious programming. You might wonder why the book is called "Essential Actionscript 3.0" if it is all about OOP. Well, in many ways the two topics are one and the same. I believe most potential readers are like myself. We have a background in Flash and maybe even Actionscript, but we are not full-time programmers by trade. In order to make the transition from Actionscript 2 to Actionscript 3, the main thing we have to learn is Object Oriented Programming. AS3 embraces OOP concepts much more closely than AS2, and if you start to understand OOP, you start to understand why AS changed the way it did in moving from version 2 to version 3. Even those who think that AS3 code looks unnecessarily cumbersome at first glance might come around and realize that its long-term benefits outweigh the cost of the learning curve once you start building truly object-oriented apps that run super fast. People with a background in computer science might get a little less out of the book, as you should already be familiar with OOP. You could still learn a lot about what AS3 supports in comparison to other OOP languages, but the majority of that can be gleaned from any documentation of ECMA guidelines, as Adobe is adhering as closely as they can to those guidelines. There is a lot of documentation out there about AS3's built-in classes, and Adobe maintains a pretty excellent language resource on its website. But again, for people who are Flash developers first, and programmers second, this book is an excellent way to go from AS2 to AS3. And if you find yourself drawn to AS3 programming and want to learn even more, check out "ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns" by the same publisher. That book will take you from knowing how to build OOP apps in AS3 to structuring your applications in ways that professional programmers have considered standard for several decades. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Depth ActionScript Resource *by M***E on November 30, 2010* After having been tasked with developing object-oriented Flash applications at work, I started off by reading some of the more introductory books on Flash hoping to gain some insight into how ActionScript can be used. The introductory books gave me a basic comfort level with the Flash IDE and how it is used to create multi-media content. I soon found it wasn't enough though. After having trouble with ActionScript development in several areas, I wanted to find books that could help me take my skills to the next level. Thanks to the recommendation of a co-worker, I purchased this book. I am so thankful I did. This book is one of the best books on ActionScript programming. I would also consider it one of the best books on programming that I have seen in my 20+ year career. One thing I want to make clear - it is not for beginners. It is designed for programmers wishing to learn more about the ActionScript language. The rate at which you will learn will be determined by your areas of interest and your past experience. If you are just starting out in Flash, I would recommend a book like "Flash CS5 The Missing Manual". You'll get a good foundation in many of the core areas of Flash by reading it. It covers things in much more depth than some of the introductory books. When you understand the concepts it presents, you'll be more than ready for this book. Essential ActionScript 3.0 covers all of the topics it discusses in great detail. When looking for an answer, it may or may not be a quick read but the concept will be explained in detail. Some concepts require more time and effort to learn and the author does not try to cut corners as such. Learning ActionScript is in many ways like learning a new language. If you come from the .NET world like I did, a new way of thinking about programming is required (event based programming in conjunction with visual elements over time). This book has helped me to make the transition. Overall - if you are an experienced programmer looking to do object-oriented development in ActionScript 3.0, this is the reference you will want to have by your side. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Programmer's Reference; Not for Newbies *by L***N on June 15, 2009* This book is totally unlike other books on ActionScript, and that is both its strength and its weakness. First of all, the claim that this book could be used by someone with no knowledge of programming is laughable and misleading. Chapter One goes through all of Object Oriented Programming, including such arcana as page 22's "Access-control modifiers for instance variables." No one without programming experience can understand why or how this woud be useful or learn how to use it. If you haven't done programming, choose a different book. Other books begin with the Flash environment, and introduce bits of ActionScript on the timeline in an inductive manner: on (press) { amountPaid = Number(paid.text); amountOwed = Number(owed.text); } You'll see none of that in this book, except for Chapter 29, which introduces programming in the Flash environment. None of the code sits on the timeline--this is ActionScript as a programming langusage, with packages, and stand-alone code files. On the positive side, this book really does explain the language as a language, so for us programmers, there's no need to wonder about syntax, language features, error handling, etc.--it's all here. You'll learn how to create objects with their own events and listeners, about dynamic instance variables, about using try...catch...throw...finally error handling, and many other features unlikely to be covered in other books on ActionScript. Because ActionScript is specific to Flash (and Flex), the book does cover the events you'll care about: mouse activity, key presses, screen updating, ENTER_FRAME vs. timer, stage resizing, loading, and so on. It provides excellent information on sandboxes and security I did not know and does a good job of dealing with text fields from a programming perspective. So it does cover much of value in the Flash context, and that in more detail than other ActionScript books I've read. In summary, I find this more of a reference book than a tutorial. For the topics it covers, it goes into great depth. If you are a game developer or are writing a major application, you need this book. On the other hand, if you want to develop simple Flash programs and want to buy only one book, this isn't it. It won't teach you the simplest basics (putting stop(); on frame 1 of a movie clip) that you need for practical Flash programming. As a reference, however, it's indispensible. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.it/products/6162294-essential-actionscript-3-0-actionscript-3-0-programming-fundamentals](https://www.desertcart.it/products/6162294-essential-actionscript-3-0-actionscript-3-0-programming-fundamentals) --- *Product available on Desertcart Italy* *Store origin: IT* *Last updated: 2026-06-28*